Movies Based on Plays and Musicals
Last updated: December 12, 2025
Did you know My Big Fat Greek Wedding was adapted from a one-woman show, or that The Lion King was inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet? From Broadway musicals and Tony Award-winning dramas to comedies-of-errors and farce, plays have inspired some excellent movies over the years. While some adaptations draw very clearly from their source material, others dramatically remix their theatrical styles. This list rounds them all up—use it to find supplemental learning material for assigned reading, or just to find a fun pick for the thespian in your life. Looking for more adaptations? Check out Movies Based on Books and Movies Based on TV Shows.
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